In a Water Scarce Future, How Should we Design Almond Orchards?

Facing tightening SGMA regulations and the specter of future droughts, how should we be designing the almond orchard of the future? On the podcast, Franz Niederholzer discusses his idea of a test almond orchard at the Nickels Soil Lab with different rootstocks provided reduced irrigation treatments from planting onward. Should a grower provide full irrigation to fewer acres, or reduced irrigation to their existing farming footprint?

Photo above: Nonpareil on Nickels peach-almond hybrid in the foreground followed by Nonpareil on Rootpac R in the same row. Not only did the P/A hybrid rooted trees yield far more but they were also greener during the harvest drydown than the Rootpac R rooted trees that suffered extensive defoliation. Rootstock choice will be important in a water scarce future.

Come to an upcoming extension meeting!

2025 International School on Microirrigation for Crop Production: Class Lectures at UC Davis October 13-15, and field trips October 16-17.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only. The "University of California" name and all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product, or service.

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Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music.